Rail joint shim device



March 29,1932

E. F. SCHERMERHORN RAIL JOINT SHIM DEVICE Filed NOV. 17, 1931 ZHI figwuentoz E1? Schernwrlwrzu l atented Mar. 29, 1 932 nnwnnns'r.sonnniannnonn, OF BROOKLYN, new YORK, nssrenon' To THE {1min Jenncomrnmcor NEW- YORK, 1\T.'Y., A coRPoaA'rIono NEW YORK RAILfJoINT SHIMnnvrcn 7 Application filed November 17,1931. Serial 'No. 375,610.

This invention relates to a-novelshim deviceifor use in producinginsulated joints for so-called headfree rails. a

As is well known, a so -calledheadfree rail derives its name on theonehand from the fact that its head is of inverted truncated pyramidicalshape in cross section and, on the other hand, I from the .fact thatwhen two such rails are joined together thesplice bars 1 'take loadingengagement at their inner upper cornerswith the head fillets of therailsandhave; clearance outwardly of said fillets from the under sides ofltherail heads. While rails and j oints of this character are extremely de-.sirable and advantageousfrom many difier entviewpointsgit has beenfoundthatwhenjinsulating material is interposed the upper innerfcornersof thesplice bars and the head Y fillets of the rails theinsulation-tends quick; 2o ly to crush'and disintegrate due toconcentration-of the load on a relatively small ,area -of the,insulation. Therefore, inproducing :insulated rail joints forheadfreerails it is desirable .to provide means whereby-the load;

sustaining portion of the insulating material shall have relativelyextensive bearing areas. Accordingly, the. general object of the presentinvention is, to provideashimdevice for use with headfree rails to, ineffect, convert the headsof such rails tothestandard or'headfishingcontact type, thus to provide for the useof s lice bars andinsulating joints of the head fis ing contact type in'the splicing ofheadfree rails to obtainthe advantages of the relatively extensivebearing areas for; the insulating material afforded by joints of thistype. I I

yide a shim device for the purpose mentioned; 40 which may beeconomically produced from sheet metal: and'gwhich embodiesa novelconstruction forcooperation with railsj of the headfree type mannertoefi'ectively fsusa ,tain loads'imposed on the rails and transmittedthrough the shim deviceto the insulating material and the splicebar;

With the. foregoing and other objects in view, will becomemorefullyapparentasthe nature of the invention is better understood, the sameconsists in the novel construction and inthe novel combination andarmore fully described, illustrated in the accompanying rawings anddefined in theap pendedclaimsfl r l In the drawings :v

i rangement of features as will be hereinafter 1 Figure 1 is atransverser'section through an insulated joint for headfree railsillustrating" the use of the "present shim device according ;toone-practical embodimentof the same.

vFigure 2 is a side elevation-,of-the joint; illustrated inQFig. 1withfthe splicebar removed; and V F ur 3 i trating a, shim device ofslightly; alternative form; Referring view similarto I to the drawingsin detail, T

he observed that while'therails, designated as R, are of the headfree=typ,e,-theinsu-'l lated oint is of the; head fishing,contact well-knowntype having the :sides of their areas for; the insulatin materialwhereby 'longevityof the jointi-s assured; f The ;headfr,-ee railillustrated are of the v 75." heads, beginningv at points spaced d'ownwardly' from theirtop, surfaces, inclined in-- wardly asat 10 andImergingjinto'the usual rail :headfillets 11. qordinarilya joint beatween two rails of this type isvlefiected-hy means of a splice barwhich,at'its head, 5

takes loading engagement solely-at its inner;

upper corner with the head fillets ofthe rails provided between twosuch'irails it is not" satisfactorymerely to interpose alayer pf v V vinsulation-betweentheheadlilletsoif the-rails: vAnother object of the.invention is to proand the upper inner corner ofthej splice;

,:When, however, an insulated jointyisto bef. 4 i

within the limitsiof the head fillets of the? arm-sa preferably in Itwo. separate sections.

feet, Convert the rails to the head fishing use of a splice bar B of the'head fishing co'nrailssoon results in crushing and disintegraai". Itlon ofthe'insulatlon. Therefore, according to.thepresentunventmh, ashim device S,: v

'; 8, s one ,for cooperation with" each rail, is i f prov ded to seata-galnstgtherails to, inef-xqr: 4

contact type." 'lhu s,zprovision is madefo'r the: g 1%: i

III

tact type andthe production of an insulated this respect is to extendthe portion 17 downjoint of the head fishing contact type in whichWardly and inwardly at such anangle relative v the insulation I hasrelatively extensive bearto the flange portion 14 that when the latter'ing areas cooperati'ng with the shim device portion is disposed at theroper angle rela and thespli'ce bar, respectively, so that the I tive tothe rail the upper ace of the portion 70 load is distributed over asubstantial area 17 bears flat against the inclined" rail head of theinsulation with consequentp'rplonga; surface thusgto afiord arelativel yeflenv y ti f fly}; lifgft'h e' insulation. s.v sive contactareabetween-- the-shim section 10 h rawin s, ttwill bglo ser ed hatfiReferring particularlyto Figs. lnand.2..,. andwsaidirail surface. r p gmesaneiteaabe fi siafibl a. J e p i -iif 1:8 th.. .e g i h ll l ii ltNewsst n '7 are, except "for their-' right'fa left Hand su'st{riboftheflangd orfion 14 by s .'form; duplicates of each other and-thateach ro ling-.pntgrning the metal of the flange section is formed fromsuitable shaman portion a but a core forming rod 18 as illus- 15 toprovide a vertical body pqrtion 12 to liegtratedsinFigs-1oiithegllzawings, particularly against the rail Web, a curvedportion-13 in instances Where the metal of the shim secto'fitfthe hea'dfilletof the raiL -and a flange tions is coinp'arativelythin. Om-theother; portion 14-. f extending outvvai'd fr'orn' thehand,-thisi cor isnot essential and mayre'ad curved iportion l3ilto" underlie the railhcad il be dispensed with, as illustrated in -Fyrg 3 V andxto'afilordiatwitsundersidea relatively o l the""drawing articularlyininjstances g extensive flat bearing area similar the" Where the shimections are formed gof 'relafishing surface at the undersideTof-a railQlyf 1 'heavyw'sheety-mtdli IMQ I of'th yvellknovvnstandardtype. over asaforesaid thefree edgeioi tha'por g ,"Lh'e' splice bar B used With thepresent tion ma in any'jnstance"coiitact vvith pr shinfdevice is, asaforesaid, "and" as iI-Iusbe spaced frorn'the top of the flangeportionfgo praised-tin the" drawing 'ofthe head fishin '1 an'din' eithereve jzi f q pe al or g contact type-having afl'at top surface form said.=f1 ee ed ge fis -required; as is'appariitf operation wit'h the flangeportions; 14' of the i om thQ- flhl trationinFig-lgth fi' w shimgsections, and the insulation'f l is 'ing I1g i 0 h' rii gf' lf edge-0 F 50itself cbntacts with" the inclinedsidesnr j ;;,.twe'e'n i*andhavingsurface contact-ivithfihe i (1'ini ii'g 3 =for su 1f celf id ct ithiflxyflange; portions 14.of the shim.sections and 'llpp a e ft 'fl ngeportnthertop loathe neepalg respectivtlyg Without iurthela*de ri ti fitasthoii'ght -Q n In order to adapt ,the flangie poi-eiil .14 i that th eamq n d an a t th'ei I of the shimsectipn' sto sustain 1ea ifi cljverftioir will bs readil f-ap ijnteto tho ejgog j thereo'n,-iIQeK,iir'brdrftoisupport said po tions againstjupwardmovementintd the"n e q t e es n i fl a ez; r0 1 voids or'"vacant spacesexisting a't th'eunder jportion and minor details of ycons't'ructio Sides of the railhead'sg under-the; influence ay e res t t ii he i iii art g iQiQ-i l i.40 ofil'oads imposed on'the'joi'rit, the 'sa'id flfifig e he sp i -t em ti n; n gs qpg, sim an,

' ;portion of each shirasectioiijis rlIedfltifiapp cl ims-f f asindicated at l6; -a'iid then exiten d-d down %s fi. e e-f u e p o u T 35f.

wardly "and' invvardilfijas jindiatedfatjU," at d jq s-" ll d eefalethihea the"hpperffaee of'th'e fiangeportionljthear l P o }se iqei mnrisw as rangernent'ifithis respect'being 'such that-the h d nq a fi emb.i clusiv i @FQQI :1

topof thfrein'forcing rib termed by turning? 9 to alg -es the Web the rs. a

. flangeimitionqaiagainstupward move' iinvf i and efi' I y: irs i andholdsthejsarne iflcorrectjrelatioii't'oQth a g a e o hsnsl l l wmfierakt top or; the"spli' -:e' baf'andthe int rpbs'edin i e 'i ibtweenSand i ii d 3 relative r to the rail; for 'c oi'iectfl cooperationofyvhich py; iw thi.thae top of thesplicebanand thej'inter =rairiidical.shape incross section}; corripri'si splice bar; said I flange portion '7he iirg belifiiiztl nliisivs i i. a?! J... .1.

portion to lie against the web of the rail, a

V flat surface contact-with the upper face of i i curved portion to fitthe head fillet of the rail, and a flange portion extending outward fromsaid curved portion to underlie the rail head and to afford a relativelyextensive bearingarea for the insulating material to be interposedbetween said shim and the splice bar, the marginal part of said flangeportion being bent upwardly and inwardly and then downwardly andinwardly for fiat surface engagement with the inflange upon itself inthe manner stated.

5. A shim device as set forth in claim 2 in which the free edge of'thedownwardly and inwardly bent portion of the shim has the flange portion.

6. A shim device as in which the free edge of the downwardly andinwardly bent portion of the shim is chamfered and has flat surfacecontact with the upper face of the flange portion.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my V signature.

EDWARDS F. SGHERMERHORN'.

"set forth in claim

